How to Create a Functional and Stylish Home Office You'll Love

Jun 22, 2017

Functionality and style are equally important in any home office setup. You may meet with clients or colleagues in your office, or you may not be trying to impress anyone, but your surroundings make all the difference in your attitude and productivity. It’s your space, so make it all about you.OK, maybe it can’t be ALL about you. Sometimes a home office has to do double duty as a guest bedroom. Or maybe your space is more of a nook than a room – outfitted like an office for use managing household files, paying bills, etc., or for the occasional days you need a work from the home office day. Whether that’s the case or you’re creating a fully functional business office in your home, you should love every square inch of it.

Consider Your Work Flow

What you do and how you go about it determines what furniture and equipment you’ll need. No matter what, everything should be within easy reach. That way, you won’t end up searching the house for stray office supplies.

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Pro Tip: Make a list of everything you need to be more productive: 

  1. Monitor Size/Configuration
  2. Laptop integration
  3. Type of keyboard
  4. Wireless mouse?
  5. Charging station
  6. Power needs
  7. Place for notes
  8. Place to print/scan (over WiFi? – sweet! Hide that bad boy in a closet!)

All of this would drive the amount of workspace you need.

Buy quality equipment to boost efficiency. Most important: Invest in a fabulous, ergonomic desk chair. Your body and your brain will both be happier. 

Stash file cabinets or storage shelves in the closet to save space. Keeping things uncluttered and well-organized can help you stay focused and be more productive.

Colors and Styles You Love

Make your space homey. Look for furniture that blends with the rest of your home, or score some “finds” and DIY them to create a uniquely-you space. Brush up on the psychology of color, to pick shades that appeal to you but also inspire your inner worker. Buy color-coordinated desk accessories. Hang your favorite artwork or something that makes you laugh on the wall.

Deciding on a Monitor

Anyone can turn a TV into a monitor or a monitor into a TV these days with streaming – so the easiest way to determine which is right for you is to decide what size monitor is needed for the type of work being done. Using a TV monitor allows for a bigger screen, possibly one that is easily viewable from that big, comfy chair conveniently located near your desk... 

You could also determine the size monitor or TV required by how much you are going to use it. If you work from home part time, you may not need as large of a TV monitor as a full time work-from-home professional. But if you are frequently on conference calls, having a large monitor may be ideal. Or if the whole family uses this monitor, you may want more a value driven option than a state of the art television screen. All things to think about when deciding what works best for you. 

You could set the TV/monitor on your desk or a credenza or shelf. But wall-mounting frees up precious workspace. A full-motion wall mount ensures you can adjust your screen to eliminate glare, or swivel to make it ergonomically correct. Where should you put it? Our blog on tiny home TV placement has some great tips. You could also make a sweet office gallery wall complete with calendar and inspirational quotes like a #bosslady. 

Whether you use a TV or not, hiding all your equipment cables will give your home office a tidy, professional look.

Great Lighting

Natural light is best, especially if you also have an attractive view out the window. But you’ll also want a task lamp on your desk, so you have good quality work light at any time of day.

Not Sure Where to Begin?

This article provides a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire process. It will even help you choose the perfect color scheme. Your home office will be so stylish and functional, it may become your favorite room in the house.